What is consumer fraud law?

Consumer fraud law is the legal term for a set of laws in place to protect consumers against dishonest, unethical, and illegal business practices. In California, consumer fraud law is designed to protect individuals from deceptive, fraudulent, and unfair activities and to ensure that consumers who purchase goods or services are getting what they paid for. Some of the activities that consumer fraud law covers include false advertising, price gouging, bait and switch tactics, and odometer fraud. False advertising is when a company makes claims about its products or services that are not true. Price gouging is when a company charges consumers more money for a product or service than it is worth. Bait and switch tactics are when a company lures a consumer in with one offer and then switches them to a different offer. Odometer fraud involves a company tampering with the reading on the odometer in order to increase the car’s value. Consumer fraud laws in California provide a wide range of remedies for those who experience consumer fraud. This includes the ability to file a lawsuit against the company in order to recover damages, the option to report the company to the state Attorney General’s office, and the option to contact a consumer protection agency. Consumer fraud law also allows for civil penalties to be imposed on the company, such as paying out a fine or having to pay back consumers who have been affected by the company’s fraudulent activities. This protects consumers from being taken advantage of by dishonest companies.

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